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April 1, 2013

Your monthly pass to world-class public transportation and more wonderful, walkable communities.

We love April Fool’s Day as much as anyone. But this spring, we’ve got an incredible opportunity to transform transportation in California - so we’re dead serious about our upcoming Transportation Choices Summit on April 23 in Sacramento.

You can have an impact on the future of transportation in California by joining us in Sacramento for the Transportation Choices Summit. Today is the last day we’re offering $25 registration for the Summit, where we’ll bring our growing movement together to show state leaders that the demand for transportation choices is no laughing matter. Click here for details and to register now.

Don’t miss the multifaceted and inspiring Angela Glover Blackwell on April 16

Join us in San Francisco on April 16 for a thought-provoking discussion with Angela Glover Blackwell – a national leader whose accomplishments include advising the President on neighborhood initiatives, helping envision a stronger post-Katrina New Orleans and prioritizing equity in transportation and regional planning. Ms. Blackwell will focus on how California's cutting edge climate policies hold the potential to redefine our communities as centers of equity as well as economic and environmental health. Check out this short video for a taste of the inspiration we’re anticipating at this event.

Click here to register now – we expect this event to sell out! A $20 ticket not only inspires you, it gets you delicious street tacos, drinks and networking opportunities with transportation, biking, walking, and housing advocates. Big thanks to Nelson\Nygaard for sponsoring this event.

Attend the Lake Merritt Station Area Plan design review meeting this Wednesday

TransForm has been advocating for a land use plan for the area surrounding Lake Merritt BART station that helps make the neighborhood more walkable and bikeable, while including enough affordable housing to preserve and support the incredibly diverse community living in downtown Oakland. We’re getting close to a final plan, which is being reviewed in committee meetings of the Oakland Planning Commission in April.

Speak up for equity, choice, and innovation at Plan Bay Area public meetings

MTC recently released the draft of Plan Bay Area, our region’s first-ever plan for how to cut greenhouse gas emissions by reducing driving. TransForm is reading the draft to see how it measures up, and we’ll soon be posting our analysis on our blog. We already know that the proposed Express Lane Network will cost too much and increase pollution in the long run; instead, we need a better express lane plan that prioritizes equity, choice, and innovation.

We’ve marked our calendar for the public meetings scheduled in April and May to speak up on this and other aspects of Plan Bay Area. Can you come to the public meeting in your county? Click here to see the full list of meetings and RSVP now.

Carrie Harvilla kicks sneaker in Fremont

Parents in Fremont have been astonished at the great increases in walking and biking to school. So it's no wonder Carrie Harvilla, our Safe Routes to School staffer in Fremont, received the City of Fremont PTA’s Continuing Service Award last month. It was clear from the presentation at the annual Founder's Day celebration on March 19 that Carrie has made a huge difference in their schools and communities, and supporters urged every school to join the program.

Carrie began engaging Fremont schools in the 2010-11 school year and quickly grew participation to 10 schools. Our Safe Routes to School program is planning to add more Fremont schools by fall, and we clearly have the right person on the job. Congratulations, Carrie!

A whole lot of nothing: the first zero-parking GreenTRIP project, and more to come

We are proud to recognize the Nautilus Group’s Garden Village as our newest GreenTRIP certified project and the first to boast zero parking. Instead of constructing new parking for residents, this downtown Berkeley project offers on-site car sharing, free transit passes, bike fix-it stations, bike storage and BikeLink cards, and a travel concierge service to help residents live comfortably without owning a car.

This summer, we’ll be rolling out a new Zero Parking Certification Standard specifically for projects that have chosen to go completely car-free. Click here to learn more about Garden Village and GreenTRIP.

TransForm’s transportation expertise sought from coast to coast

Last week, TransForm’s Executive Director Stuart Cohen was invited by California’s Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing to serve on a new Transportation Finance Workgroup tasked with helping Caltrans “develop the highest priorities for transportation spending in California.” We’ll keep you posted on how Stuart’s participation influences long-term strategies for funding the state’s transportation needs.

And last month in the nation’s capital, TransForm’s Senior Community Planner Joël Ramos met with Washington, D.C.-area advocates Coalition for Smarter Growth, who push for better transit in the greater DC area. Joël passed on some tough lessons learned in our recent Bus Rapid Transit campaigns: get the politics right and make sure everyone affected, not just transit riders, is involved in the planning. To learn more about this sharing of resources, please feel free to contact Joël or Coalition for Smarter Growth’s Kelly Blynn, who is leading their efforts to win BRT in the DC region.

Raise a glass or spin your wheels for the TransForm Carbon Crushers

You’re invited to two upcoming events in support of TransForm and an epic bike adventure! The TransForm Carbon Crushers, our team for the California Climate Ride in May, would love to personally pour you a cold beer or smoothie at two great events coming up:

On Wednesday, April 10, the Carbon Crushers will take over the taps at Elixir in San Francisco from 9:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. When you join us at Elixir and tip generously, you’ll help us meet our fundraising goal.

If fruit shakes and Sunday strolls are more your speed, we’ll also be whipping up bicycle-powered treats on our stationary bikes outside Wheels of Justice Cyclery in Montclair on Sunday, April 7 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Kids are invited to blend their own and all proceeds go to Climate Ride.

Come out to one or both events, meet the team, and support sustainable transportation and land use in the Bay. Learn more and RSVP here.

New job posting: Help TransForm with grant writing

Do you have a passion for public transportation and a knack for translating complex ideas into successful grant proposals? Apply to be our next Grants Manager and help sustain, grow, and manage TransForm’s significant foundation funding, beginning late spring. We encourage diverse applicants to consider joining our team. Click here to learn more about this and other current career opportunities with TransForm.

Upcoming events in the Bay Area and beyond: Last day for early-bird Summit registration

Below is a sampling of upcoming events in March and April. Visit TransForm’s events webpage frequently for details on transportation-related events in the Bay Area and beyond.

Kudos to our allies at Walk San Francisco for launching the nation’s first Walk to Work Day! Walking just 15 minutes of your commute counts you in for recognition, raffles, and better health. If you live in San Francisco, coffee shops throughout the city will offer you special deals to motivate your morning commute, and an evening happy hour ends the day by awarding prizes in categories like “Best Shoe Bling.” But who says San Francisco has to have all the fun? Click here for details on SF’s plans, and consider walking to work on April 12 wherever you live!

The Housing California 2013 Annual Conference offers opportunities to learn from peers and colleagues, network with old friends and make some new ones, and help Housing California continue working to prevent homelessness and increase the variety and supply of safe, stable, accessible, and permanently affordable places to live. TransForm’s own Ann Cheng will present on the success of GreenTRIP in a discussion led by Linda Wheaton, of the CA Housing and Community Development with presentations from LA Metro, First Community Housing and more. Click here to register now.

No joke – today, April 1, is the last day to get the discounted rate of $25 for the Transportation Choices Summit in Sacramento on April 23. Learn why 2013 is a critical year for the future of transportation in California and join a powerful movement to create real choices for everyone. Speakers include:

Don’t wait until May to start thinking about Bike to Work Day – the biggest bike day of the year! You can sign up now for the Team Bike Challenge, nominate a super-biker for the Bike Commuter of the Year award, and volunteer in your local community to make this a special day for everyone who bikes, no matter if it’s their first try or a routine experience. Mark your calendar and get ready to celebrate beautiful weather, healthy transportation, and fun on two wheels.